The power of the trot

Annual Turkey Trot planned for November 16th

Tau Upsilon Alpha’s upcoming Turkey Troy is a 5K that aims to raise money for  a good cause and bring many different communities together.

On Nov. 16, TUA’s Chi Pi chapter will hold a 5K where people can run, walk or even  scooter around the university’s campus. All of the proceeds from the trot will go towards a special scholarship.

“The Owen Wayne Lewis Memorial Scholarship is in honor of Dr. Heather and Onick Lewis’ son, Owen, who passed away from lymphocytic myocarditis,” said Amber Steen, the TAU’s Chi Pi president and a senior social work major from Brewton, Alabama.

Steen, along with other event organizers, is happy to plan and execute an event for professors they look up to and admire.

“The whole thing behind the Turkey Trot was just to show how much we love the Lewis’,” Steen said. “They’re such great professors, and they’re active in the community.

“I think it’s beautiful how they took the tragic loss of their son and turned it into a way to continue to pour into students.”

The scholarship is for first generation college students pursuing bachelor's degrees in social work, human services and event management, hospitality and tourism.

One of the event organizers is a Freshman Forum delegate who said she is grateful to be a part of something that will touch many people’s hearts.

“It’s a very meaningful project,” said Emma Claire Kirchharr, a freshman data analytics major from Uriah, Alabama. “Getting to work on it and be a leader to organize it makes it so much more impactful to me.   

“You’re helping people, and that’s really important.”

TUA is working on getting outside sponsors and other local community members involved in the trot. On the other hand, Freshman Forum is working to bring in the student body.

“Freshman Forum is looking to get students to register so that way they can feel more involved in the community -- so they can make Troy not just their school, but their home,” Kirchharr said.

TUA hopes to make the Turkey Trot an annual event.

Those interested in participating in this year’s Turkey Trot can pre-register at www.runreg.com/tua-turkey-trot. Same-day registration will also be available on race day at 7 a.m.

Troy University students have a registration fee of $20. The normal registration fee is $25.